Nebraska Women Seek Second Win Against Top-Ranked Western Illinois
The Cornhuskers open Big Ten play against an Ohio Valley Conference leader that lost narrowly in the NCAA Tournament first round last season.
By Justin Brooks ·
Nebraska women's basketball opens its Big Ten season on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers host Western Illinois at 2 p.m. Central Time. The game will be available on B1G+ and on the Huskers Radio Network.
Nebraska enters the contest with a 1-0 record. The team defeated San Jose State last week in front of a crowd of more than 8,200. Britt Prince led the squad with 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Amiah Hargrove contributed 15 points and nine rebounds. Natalie Potts added 14 points and six rebounds from the bench, marking her first healthy appearance in two years.
Western Illinois also holds a 1-0 record after defeating Clarke University in their season opener. The Leathernecks are projected to compete for the top spot in the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished last season as OVC regular season and tournament champions. Their record was 26-6 before a loss to North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach J.D. Gravina is in his 16th season at Western Illinois. He holds a 242-216 record at the school. Gravina was named OVC Coach of the Year in 2026. He returns senior Mia Nicastro, who won OVC Player of the Year last season. Nicastro averaged more than 15 points and seven rebounds per game in 2025-2026.
The Leathernecks return junior guard Kaylen Reed, who scored a team-high 16 points against Clarke. Junior guard Shelby Bowman moved into a starting role and added 14 points with three three-pointers in the season opener. Junior guard Madison Davis also earned a starting spot, contributing 12 points and seven rebounds against Clarke. Forward Maria Messling, who redshirted last year, starts in the frontcourt after missing time to injuries in previous seasons.
Nebraska leads the all-time series against Western Illinois 1-0. The teams last met on November 12, 2004, when Nebraska won 74-71. Western Illinois lost three key players to graduation, including Addi Brownfield, who was named OVC Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Brownfield averaged over 12 points and nearly six rebounds per game in her final season.
The matchup pits the No. 1 ranked Big Ten team against a squad that finished tied for first in its conference last year. Nebraska won its opener by a large margin. Western Illinois is expected to challenge for the OVC title again this season. The game marks the first time these two programs have met since 2004.
Mylee Stiefel, a freshman guard from Iowa, played 22 minutes in Western Illinois's season opener. She scored 11 points and recorded three assists and two rebounds. The Leathernecks rely on a mix of experienced returners and new starters as they begin the 2026-2027 campaign.
